Madison Mayor Paul Soglin announces run for governor

Another name is joining the long list of Democrats hoping to take on Republican Governor Scott Walker in November. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin announced Wednesday morning that he plans to seek the Democratic nomination, joining a field of more than a dozen other candidates hoping to unseat the governor as he seeks a third term.

“Our great country and the State of Wisconsin were founded on the principle that our governments would provide for the general welfare – our health and safety through a fair system of taxation,” the 72-year-old said in a statement released by his campaign. “On the façade of the US Supreme Court are carved the words, “equal justice under law.” Today we have a President and a Governor who do not believe in those principles. They do not cherish our heritage and, in fact, they violate and undermine it every day.”

Soglin’s statement included multiple criticisms of Walker, accusing him of cheering on a federal tax plan that benefits the top one percent, undermining public schools, and allowing roads to deteriorate. “We must do better,” he argued. “We need to create, enact, and support policies that are designed to improve the lives of every single Wisconsinite.”

Walker wasted little time attacking Soglin, saying on Twitter that the last thing the state needs is “more Madison in our lives.”

The last thing we need is more Madison in our lives. @Paulsoglin is the latest extreme liberal who wants to take our state backward — just like he did in Madison, where businesses have left and murders have gone up. We want to go forward.

Walker criticized Soglin’s running of Madison, referencing Oscar Mayer closing its factory in Madison after 100 years, along with the city’s 10 homicides in 2017 – which tied a previous record. He called Soglin “the latest extreme liberal who wants to take our state backward — just like he did in Madison, where businesses have left and murders have gone up. We want to go forward.”

Soglin was expected to hold a press conference in Madison Monday afternoon.